Parker’s Fake Smile Fades As Wardley Steals The Weigh-In

Fabio Wardley and Joseph Parker both weighed in today for their heavyweight clash for Saturday’s battle on DAZN PPV at the O2 Arena in London, England. WBO interim champion Parker (36-3, 24 KOs), looking soft around the midsection with a dad’s body, came in a little lighter than he did in his previous bout against Martin Bakole.

False Confidence Exposed

What was interesting was how Parker was smiling and clowning around before going up to the scales. It looked 100% feigned, like he was putting up a false front of confidence to hide the fear. You could easily see that it was fake.

The moment that Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) walked onto the stage, you could see Parker’s brave mask disappear from his face. It was replaced with worry. He couldn’t stay in character with his theatrical attempt to show a fake look of self-confidence. Parker isn’t that good of an actor. He lacks the Brando-esque ability to slip into a character.

The Numbers on the Scale

• Joseph Parker – 262.4
• Fabio Wardley – 242.7

“This means everything. This is the one before the one. A big night coming up tomorrow,” said Fabio Wardley after weighing in today. “It’s nothing new to me. I haven’t been beaten yet, and nothing is going to change tomorrow night. It’s not about me learning anything. It’s about them learning that I belong at the top of the division.”

Winner Gets Usyk — And Millions

There is a lot on the line tomorrow night for this fight between these two heavyweights. Whoever wins will be next up for undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in early 2026. That means a payday of $30-$60 million for WBA interim champion Wardley or Parker. The lucky one will be a rich man next year.

“I’m heavy, I’m strong, and I’m ready to go. I’m serious about my work. I’m going to punch holes in him tomorrow and teach him a lesson. I’m going to fight fire with fire and get to him,” said Parker.

Joseph knows that he only has one choice but to go to war with Wardley tomorrow night. If he tries to box, as he did against the aging fighters, Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, he’s going to be hunted down by the younger fighter Wardley and taken out. It’s not the way Parker wants to win by running for 12 rounds. It’s a bad look that makes him appear cowardly.